A wireless communication device, for example, a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) device, may cycle through multiple channels for implementing multiple connection scenarios.
For example, the wireless communication device may maintain connectivity to a first wireless communication network on a first wireless communication channel. In one example, the wireless communication device may maintain Internet connectivity by connection, e.g., a Basic Service Set (BSS) connection, to an Access Point (AP) over the first wireless communication channel. In another example, the wireless communication device may be required to maintain access, e.g., connectivity, presence, discoverability and/or time synchronization, to one or more predefined social channels, e.g., periodically. The first channel may be selected and/or set by a network entity other than the wireless communication device, e.g., by the AP, or may be predefined, e.g., by an industry standard and/or regulations.
The wireless communication device may also maintain connectivity with a second wireless network on a second wireless communication channel. The second channel may be set and/or selected by the wireless communication device. For example, the wireless communication device may host a Personal Area Network (PAN) or a Peer To Peer (P2) network, and/or may provide a Tethering service over the second wireless communication channel. For example, the wireless communication device may act as Wi-Fi P2P Group Owner (GO) over the second wireless communication channel, may act as a Mobile Access Point (AP) over the second wireless communication channel, may maintain a direct connection with a peer device, e.g., a Tunneled Direct Link Set-up (TDLS) connection, over the second wireless communication channel, and/or may publish, search and/or obtain services from neighbor devices over the second wireless communication channel.
In order to maintain concurrent connectivity with the first and second networks, the wireless communication device may be required to switch between the first and second wireless communication channels.
Performing a large number of switches between wireless communication channels may increase latency and/or overhead.